I wish I had read the original book — because I’m having a very difficult time believing it’s as formulaic and as clichéd as this adaptation.

Even so, setting aside the story, filmmaking is clearly in a damn rut.

Independence Day:

Just about every goddammed SF movie from the mid-1970s to now:

The Matrix:

And there were others.

My point being, when all those things were done the first time, they were fresh, original, and surprising.

There is absolutely nothing fresh, original, and surprising in this.

Look: It doesn’t matter if all those other movies ripped off Clarke (and, not having read the book, I don’t know if they did). The point is, create some new shit! All they’ve given us to see is what we’ve seen before and before and before.

Story-wise, there’s a great deal of WTFery. Such as this:

The government sends agents and yet in the next scene this guy is giving a speech…

… from the White House podium?

Seriously?!

I could go on with that, but it’d be pointless.

And maybe it’s just me, but please, who couldn’t see that Karellen would look like this:

And, hey, thanks a lot for showing us exactly how this is going to end at the very beginning of part one:

I’ve read a few other Clarke books. I enjoyed them. They were fresh, original, and surprising.

Three things this adaptation is not.

Of course I’ll watch the next two parts.

And probably bitch about them in posts too.

I guess I should be somewhat thankful for the adaptation. It’s made me think about human autonomy. Most people wouldn’t be able to articulate what’s most important to them. They’d say “freedom.” What they mean is autonomy.

Oh, and one more thing. All the religious objectors in this? What do they think their God would do upon his return? Let mankind go on as it always had? Or clamp down just like The Overlords have in this?